


Queen's Blade

by Trobadora



Category: Original Work
Genre: F/F, Fantasy Politics, Loyalty
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-29
Updated: 2016-10-29
Packaged: 2018-08-23 20:35:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,936
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8341858
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Trobadora/pseuds/Trobadora
Summary: Sanith had brought about this day, and offered it to her lady. Her queen.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Rosage](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rosage/gifts).



Lady Renga wore triumph on her face as she returned from the challenge grounds in one of the palace's many open courtyards. The courtly procession following her looked excited as well - it must have been a thrilling duel. 

Sanith, standing in silence among the servants, watched closely as they filed into the throne hall. She had not been able to watch the challenge herself, but she had seen Lady Renga fight before, and she'd had no doubt about who would win. It would have been quick and tidy, ruthless and efficient.

Besides, Renga could not have challenged a ruling queen without the support of at least part of the court, and Sanith had seen that knowledge shake Queen Kerah's confidence as Lady Renga had voiced the ritual challenge. After the devastating and futile war against the Natith, Kerah had lost much of her support, and Renga had known how to take advantage of it.

And where that hadn't been enough - well, that was what Sanith was for.

Now all the lords and ladies of the court in their elaborate ceremonial armour were assembled in the high-domed hall, and Lady Renga in her fighting gear stood at the front. Sanith pretended to watch her, but most of her attention was on everyone else. Queen Kerah might have lost favour long before the duel, but that didn't mean she hadn't had her supporters. And a queen killed in a challenge was a rare thing these days; some would resent Lady Renga for that alone.

If one of them was so foolish as to attack Renga openly, Renga would cut him or her down herself. She needed no aid for that. But for what happened in the shadows, that was a different thing. Sanith would be there, unobtrusively, one servant among many.

Facing the assembly, Renga raised her ceremonial sword - not the one she'd used to kill Queen Kerah in the duel - hands wrapped around the hilt, blade pointing down. 

With one harsh effort, Lady Renga slammed her sword down into the heavy block of wood that had held so many queens' swords before. The one she'd ripped Kerah's sword from, in challenge, only an hour ago. Now it lay discarded on the marble floor where she'd flung it. Later, someone would collect it and add it to the archives where it now belonged, a dead queen's blade.

Renga's sword vibrated a little with the force she'd brought to bear, but it had penetrated deep. It stood firm. She raised her arms.

One of her supporters started the call. "Hail Lady Renga!"

And, "Hail Lady Renga," echoed her supporters, and then most of the rest. Sanith smiled a hidden smile, making note of who chimed in and who didn't, who hid their resentment and who didn't. No one spoke out against Renga. There was no one ready to challenge her today.

But Lady Renga's victory was not yet complete. The next moments would decide.

Then the High Priestess stepped forward, a sharp-faced old woman whose long, grey braids hung down her back almost to the ground. She stood beside Lady Renga, her arms spread wide.

"You have challenged," she said with a clear, carrying voice, "and you have won. The Goddess smiles on you. Do you claim these lands, and all their people?"

"I do," said Lady Renga.

The High Priestess turned around, to the assembled lords and ladies. "Do you claim this queen?"

"Hail Queen Renga," the voices called.

The High Priestess made a gesture, and a servant came forward. The iron collar around his neck with its decorated padlock marked him as belonging to the palace, just like Sanith. He offered a large, heavily inlaid wooden box to the priestess, who opened it and lifted out the crown, raising it into the air. Then she placed the elaborate weaving of precious metals and exotic woods onto Renga's head. 

"All hail the Queen!" the hall cheered. 

And queen she was, now, her sword stuck in the Holy Oak, the wood-and-iron crown on her head. _Now_ she had won.

Sanith looked at her with almost proprietary pride. She'd brought this about, every bit as much as Renga herself. It was Sanith who had paved the way for this day, from the shadows, unseen. It was Sanith's work that had helped remove some of Queen Kerah's supporters - a loosened saddle strap causing a fatal fall here, a doctored drink before a practice duel leading to debilitating injuries there - even as Lady Renga herself had turned lady after lady and lord after lord against Kerah, building on the pervading frustration after the Natith war.

And it was to Sanith's poison Queen Kerah's daughter and heir, who would have challenged Lady Renga in turn, had fallen, some months ago.

Sanith had brought about this day, and offered it to her lady. Her queen.

She didn't allow herself to wonder what the future would bring for herself. She had done what she'd set out to do. Kerah was dead. The queen whose refusal to pull back from futile battle over worthless ground had cost Sanith a sister, a brother and a cousin was finally gone. No conscripted soldiers would die for her any more. 

And not just gone. Sanith had never dared hope for more until Lady Renga had appeared at court, but the woman who had replaced Kerah - who had killed her for Sanith - was worthy of the title. As Queen Renga seated herself on the throne for the first time and the servants began to carry tables into the hall for the feast, Sanith smiled.

~*~

One day, shortly after Lady Renga had first come to the palace, taking her late mother's place at court, she had caught a collared servant girl pouring poison into the water jug in Lord Persha's rooms.

Sanith had looked up, wide-eyed and terrified, knowing she was as good as dead. She'd waited for the lady to draw her sword, to call for the guards. 

Instead, Lady Renga had simply smiled. "Carry on," she'd said, turned around, and walked away.

It had been several minutes before Sanith had regained her wits enough to question why Lady Renga had been in Lord Persha's rooms in the first place.

~*~

Lady Renga could have had Sanith put to death. Sanith could have eliminated the dangerous witness - for her own protection, if nothing less. Instead, they'd found allies in each other.

Sanith had found Lady Renga very useful. And Renga had known how to make use of Sanith. But that had only been the beginning.

~*~

In the throne hall, the festivities were still going on, but the new Queen had finally retired, her servant attending her. The Royal quarters had been very quickly emptied of everything belonging to the deceased Kerah, and Renga's own possessions had been brought from her previous rooms.

Sanith looked around herself, satisfaction burning in her chest. Hands folded humbly, she waited for her queen's commands. 

_Her queen._ Sanith had served the lady for a long time now, but she belonged to the palace. And the palace belonged to the queen. Now, Sanith realised with a thrill, she actually belonged to Renga in truth.

Queen Renga waved a hand. "Water," she demanded. 

Sanith immediately went to pour from the jug she had filled herself, then placed the goblet onto the marble window sill where the queen was standing, looking out into the night. Absently Renga lifted it to her lips and drank deep, a necessity after all the obligatory imbibing in celebration of her victory. Sanith watched with silent satisfaction; there was no hesitation in Renga's drinking, no demand for a test of the water Sanith gave her. There never had been.

Trusted. By one who knew exactly who and what Sanith was.

"More," Renga ordered, not unkindly.

Sanith obeyed. This time, the Queen did not wait for her to place the goblet before her; she took it directly from her hand, and that gesture alone, though it might be no more than impatience, took Sanith's breath away. A servant didn't hand things to a queen. A servant didn't even hand things to a lady - passing something hand to hand was an intimacy reserved for those of equal rank - but from Lady Renga, Sanith had been used to it. Somehow, it was different now that Renga was queen.

The _queen_ , treating her as an equal. Never mind the hubris of the thought; something in Sanith could not let go of it.

Then Queen Renga set down the goblet, empty once more. She turned around, and their eyes met. "Sanith," the queen said. 

Her name. Sanith's chest clenched tight. Trusted, she reminded herself. Valued.

Renga stepped forward. One step; another. Sanith was rooted to the spot. And then the queen was right before her, only inches between them, bending forward. "My hidden blade," she said, softly, tenderly. She leaned in closer, and her fingers brushed under Sanith's chin, tilting it upward as the queen brushed her lips against Sanith's.

Sanith's heart seemed to be stalling, stuttering. She could not think.

"I will not forget what you did for me," Queen Renga promised, caressing Sanith's cheek.

Sanith dared touch the queen's hand, and when no strike, no protest, no withdrawal came, she lifted it with careful fingers to her mouth, touched her lips to the knuckles, then bowed deep and pressed the queen's hand to her forehead. 

"I did it gladly," she whispered, and then nearly flinched. Renga had achieved what she wanted - she was queen now. She might have accepted, even welcomed Sanith's insubordination when it was against Kerah, but now? Sanith was the queen's instrument. She couldn't let herself imply she might have chosen otherwise.

But, "I know," Queen Renga said, and she seemed no more bothered than she had been that day in Lord Persha's quarters. "You did well. No one saw you, but I did."

Sanith swallowed. Being seen by this woman? It was a heady thing, and all the reward she could want.

"Did you enjoy yourself?" the queen continued, fondness in her voice. Her left hand came to rest at the side of Sanith's neck, over her servant's collar. "Watching, knowing no one knew."

"You know me too well, my queen." Sanith couldn't help smiling in return. 

Renga's eyes were heavy on Sanith. Her thumb stroked over the edge of Sanith's collar. Then she lifted her right hand, and there was something glittering in it. Metal. Sanith's breath stopped. 

It wasn't a blade. Queen Renga brought the key to the padlock holding Sanith's collar closed, and a moment later it fell open. With an almost careless gesture, Renga flung the metal away. 

Sanith stared, eyes wide and incredulous. 

"I know you will do it again if I need you," Renga said, smiling, leaning forward again. This time both her hands came up to cup Sanith's face just as their lips touched. 

Sanith was still frozen in place. She swallowed heavily, casting about for words and finding none.

"Stay with me tonight," Renga murmured against Sanith's mouth. 

Her chest painfully tight, Sanith finally forced herself into action. Her hands came up to the queen's shoulders, and she opened her mouth to return the kiss, to deepen it, softly first, then more intently.

Only when Queen Renga let her - when she met her move for move, accepted her rising urgency - did Sanith realise that she was testing the queen. Testing just what this was, what they were going to be.

And Queen Renga, as always, had passed the test. Smoothly and efficiently, with no apparent effort at all.

Sanith finally abandoned herself to the kiss.


End file.
